Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Northwestern Wildcats Total Pick

Illinois Fighting Illini (14-4 SU, 10-6-2 ATS) vs. Northwestern Wildcats (13-5 SU, 7-9-2 ATS)

When: Wednesday, January 24th, 9:00 PM (ET)

Where: Welsh-Ryan Arena, IL, Evanston

TV: BTN

Point Spread: ILL -3.5/NW +3.5 (Bet on games at -105 instead of -110 at BAS!)

Total: 147

Money Line: Illinois Fighting Illini -168/+135

Notable Injuries

Fighting Illini

• Sencire Harris (Out) Redshirt
• Amani Hansberry (Out) Back

Wildcats

• Parker Strauss (Out) Undisclosed

Recent Form

Illinois comes into this game as the favorite, as they have been in 14 of their 18 games this season. They have gone 12-2 in those games, and they are 5-2 in Big Ten play, compared to their 9-2 non-conference record. The Fighting Illini have won two straight games, and they are 14-4 overall.

On the road, Illinois has gone 3-2 this season, and their average scoring margin in those games is +9.0. For the year, they have an average scoring margin of +17.0, and they are 11-2 at home. In their last game, Illinois beat Rutgers by a score of 86-63.

Illinois has an over/under record of 11-7 this season, and their games have averaged 149.8 points. Today’s over/under line of 147 is lower than the average OU line in their games this year (146.6). Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 150 points, and their OU record over their last 10 games is 8-2.

As the favorite this season, Illinois has gone 7-6-1 vs. the spread. On the road, the Fighting Illini are unbeaten ATS this year at 4-0-1. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, Illinois has a mark of 7-2-1.

Northwestern has been dominant at home this season, going 11-1 with an average scoring margin of +11.2 points per game. They have won their last four games at home and are 9-1 in their last 10 games at home. The Wildcats are 13-5 overall this season and 4-3 in Big Ten play.

As an underdog, Northwestern is 2-4 this season. They have been the underdog in six of their 18 games. In their last game, the Wildcats lost to Nebraska by a score of 75-69.

On the season, Northwestern’s over/under record sits at 11-7, and today’s line of 147 is higher than the average over/under line in their games this year (136.2). So far, 11 of their games have finished with more points than today’s line. Over their last three games, the over/under record is 3-0, and their games this year have averaged 140.2 points.

As the underdog this season, Northwestern has gone just 2-4 vs. the spread. Their overall ATS record is 7-9-2, and at home, they are 6-5-1. Over their last 10 games as the underdog, the Wildcats are 5-5 vs. the spread.

Analysis

The Illinois offense is coming off a game where they scored 86 points against Rutgers. They posted a field goal percentage of 50.8% and connected on 6 threes. In terms of offense, the Fighting Illini have a season-long field goal percentage of 46%, putting them 92nd in the NCAA. Regarding three-pointers, they are ranked 198th in percentage and 99th in three-pointers made.

Illinois’ defense has been playing well, ranking 72nd nationally, with 67.5 points allowed per game. In their previous game vs. Rutgers, the Scarlet Knights finished with a field goal percentage of 50% and a total of 63 points vs. Illinois.

The Wildcats’ offense finished with 69 points in their previous game, mirroring their current average of 72.7 points per contest. Brooks Barnhizer was the leading scorer for the Wildcats, putting up 24 points. In addition, Ryan Langborg contributed 15 points.

This season, the Northwestern defense has been impressive, holding the 70th position in the country while permitting an average of 67.4 points per contest. So far, the Northwestern defense is giving up an average of 7.4 offensive rebounds per game and are turning teams over 8.5 times per game (355th).

Betting Trends

• When looking at their past five road matchups, Illinois has an ATS record of 4-0-1 while averaging 83 per game. The team went 3-2 overall in these games.
• Through their last ten home games, Northwestern has an ATS record of just 4-5-1. However, their overall record was 3-7 while averaging 63 points per game.
• Going back to their previous three games as the underdog, Northwestern has an ATS mark of 1-2 while going 1-2 straight up.
• Looking back on the team’s last ten games as the favorite, the Fighting Illini have a straight up record of 9-1. Their record vs the spread in these games was 7-2-1.

Rich Crew’s Pick To Cover The Spread

I like the Over here. In the Illinois vs. Northwestern matchup, the Over on 146.5 points looks promising due to several factors. Firstly, Illinois boasts a high-scoring offense, averaging 82.3 points per game with efficient shooting both inside and outside the arc, suggesting they’ll contribute significantly to the total score. On the other hand, Northwestern, scoring 72.7 points per game, also has defensive weaknesses, allowing opponents an average of 67.5 points overall but 77.9 against Big Ten foes and a have allowed a high effective field goal percentage. Moreover, the fast pace of the game and Illinois’ strong rebounding (averaging 43.1 rebounds per game, 4th in the nation) suggest more possessions and scoring opportunities for both teams, further supporting the likelihood of a high-scoring game. Take the Over 146.5. Bankroll hurting? End that problem with a 100% REAL CASH bonus on your first deposit of $75 to $300 when you enter bonus promo code PREDICT100 at MyBookie Sportsbook!